Report: No positive COVID-19 cases for Falcons rookies as training camp kicks off

With MLB currently experiencing a spate of positive COVID-19 tests, good news in the world of sports is more than welcome, even if it’s small. That’s why it was great to see

Per Jason Butt, newly added to the roster at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Falcons didn’t have any positive tests among their rookies, and all of them were able to work out on Monday at Flowery Branch. That’s a big deal with 24 players leaguewide being placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list in recent days with training camp opening tomorrow. If none of those players are Falcons, we can breathe a (selfish) sigh of relief.

We’ll have to see whether the coaching staff talks about what they saw from the rookies today, especially since this is the first time they’re seeing them in the facility, but just having them there and healthy is a good first step. The league is still chipping away at key items—they’ll require masks in most situations except when it would be completely infeasible, and the NFLPA is approving team plans to deal with the disease—but the only thing that’s really going to get us to the season is careful players, coaches, and team personnel doing everything they can to keep from contracting COVID-19. So far, mostly good, and we’ll see from there.

Veterans report tomorrow, and with any luck, the Falcons will have a full squad gearing up for the 2020 season soon. It’s so close, yet feels so far away.